


The Reunion of Sheriff and Archer

by Sally_Winchester



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Post 7x08, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 13:58:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8893306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sally_Winchester/pseuds/Sally_Winchester
Summary: This story is set after the mid-season finale for the seventh season of The Walking Dead. It explores what Rick and Daryl might be going through after their reunion in the last episode.





	1. Pain at First Sight

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I'm really sorry if you find any of this work out of character or canon divergent as it is only from my own imagination and this is my first time writing for this fandom. Any mistakes are my own as this is unbetad. Those things aside, I really hope that you enjoy this story.

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye as he looked at Maggie, just as the distinctive figure of the silent-stepping hunter made his way around the corner. It was like the bottom fell out of his stomach, a cold sweat came over his body. The sheriff had been imagining their reunion since he watched the hunter being bundled into the back of a truck to be taken, for unimaginable reasons, on the worst night of his life. Somehow, the sight of his best friend brought more pain than relief to Rick Grimes as he took in how beaten and weary Daryl looked. Daryl had always been a rock for the leader, the only constant he could rely on ever since the turn, to be without him was like being set adrift in a stormy sea. Now his rock, although once again within his grasp, had been eroded and the sheriff had no one to blame for not saving him sooner other than himself.

Taking a few shaky breaths to steady himself, Rick fought to keep the tears forming in his eyes from spilling over as he moved towards his hunter. He took a few quick steps towards Daryl before pulling up short about a metre away. The kind-hearted redneck had never been one for physical contact, preferring to distance himself from people with head nods and grunts. Rick had never questioned the hunter about it, but he had seen the scars on his back. Whatever had happened to Daryl in his past had obviously left more than the physical scars.

Standing that close to his best friend, he could see his bloodshot eyes and beaten frame. A new surge of pain and guilt tore through Rick like a searing hot blade through his chest into his stomach. The tears he’d been fighting began to spill down his face, as he saw his own pain reflected in the hunter’s eyes. After a half-hearted attempt at maintaining his composure, giving Rick his customary nod, Daryl broke down. The startling realisation hit Rick that he’d never actually witnessed Daryl crying. Throughout everything that they’d been through during their years spent together, Daryl had always managed to stay strong for the sake of their family, never showing weakness in front of the others to give them something to rely on. Here and now though, he could no longer take it. The relief of finding Maggie and the baby alive and well, with the guilt of knowing that he was the reason that the baby will never meet its father is because of him, had set him on the edge of breakdown. It was seeing Rick, however, that had pushed him over the edge. He’d imagined the look on Rick’s face if and when he saw him again, so many times, over and over again in his head. Would he hate him? Blame him for Glenn’s death? Would he want him dead? Daryl had tortured himself with these thoughts for the entire time that he was Negan’s prisoner, not believing that he deserved Rick’s forgiveness, never dreaming that it would be freely given. Yet here they were, relief and forgiveness reflected in each other’s eyes, it was too much to take.

Rick grabbed the back of Daryl’s neck as he brought him into a tight embrace. Sobs wracked through both of their bodies as they used each other for support, just as they always had. They stayed like that, neither of them knew for how long, just knowing that they were finally reunited. The rest of the world seemed to slip by unnoticed whilst they held each other, just taking comfort from one another’s presence. They both tucked their heads into the crook of the neck of the other man, whilst their tears were hidden and all their senses were filled with the sight, smell, sound and feel of each other. After an unknown period of time they separated, knowing that they had a job to do. They turned to look at each member of their family, before turning towards the main house to set to work.


	2. Chapter 2

After a long period of brain storming, during which nothing resembling a concrete plan was decided, each member took it in turns excusing themselves for the night citing different reasons until only Rick, Daryl and Michonne remained.

“I love how committed our family seem to be to the cause.” Michonne drawled sarcastically, before taking a sip of whisky.

“Hey, it has been a long day” Rick said, holding his hands up in a placating manner “we have to cut those guys a break.”

“Yeah, it’s been a hell of a long day. For all of us.” Michonne retorted “You know what? We aren’t getting anywhere tonight” placing her glass down on the table next to her “we’ll pick this up in the morning, I’ll be in bed. I’ll see you soon?” She asked Rick rhetorically, before taking her leave, leaving Rick and Daryl alone.

Rick sighed deeply before taking a sip of his own glass of whisky. Daryl shifted uncomfortably in his seat but remained silent.

“Daryl…” Rick turned towards the hunter “You were awfully quiet during our discussion; do you not have any input.”

Daryl shifted again “Ain’t nothing to say.” He shrugged, tucking his chin further into his chest.

“Well, I wanna know what you have to say, Daryl” he looked more intensely at the hunter “I’ve missed your say on things. Hell, I’ve missed you.”

Daryl’s whole body tensed, but he remained silent.

“Look,” Rick pressed “I don’t know what happened to you under Negan’s control, but I want you to know that I don’t blame you.” Daryl flinched, but finally looked at Rick. “I forgive you.” He put every bit of sincerity that he could muster into his voice.

“I don’t deserve it…” Daryl croaked, his voice broken from emotion and lack of use.

“No you didn’t” Rick replied “what Negan did to y-”

“No” Daryl cut in, his voice stronger this time “I mean, I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I killed Glenn. If I hadn’t-”

“Hey! Hey!” Rick interrupted “You can’t think like that!” Rick demanded, his voice was sure and even “He was tormenting Rosita! You had no idea that what you did would’ve gotten Glenn killed. Hell, knowing you, I’m damn sure that you thought that you were sacrificing yourself.” Rick looked the hunter in the eye “This is not on you Daryl. This is not on you.”

Those words, so assuredly spoken to him before, grounded Daryl.

“Look,” Rick pressed on “if we’re gonna do this, I need you.” Rick said, gripping Daryl’s shoulder.

Daryl’s chest tightened. Not knowing how to respond, he met the sheriff’s eyes and nodded. Rick relaxed his grip and sat back in his chair, never taking his eyes off of the hunter. Daryl coughed and looked away, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

“So, er… What’s been going on since I’ve been away?” The hunter said coyly, trying to change the subject.

“Well,” Rick began “Carl hid himself in the back of Negan’s trucks, apparently he wanted to kill Negan himself” he said tiredly. “Olivia died, Spencer was gutted by Negan…” Rick reeled off, like he was reading off of a mental grocery list.

“What about Carol?” Daryl interjected.

Rick paused mid-thought “I don’t know…” He admitted.

Daryl nodded and went quiet again. They sat in companionable silence for quite a while, both sipping whisky, a rare treat these days. “So…” Daryl finally said “Michonne seemed upset.”

“She has every right to be,” Rick shrugged “we all do.”

“That ain’t what I meant.” Daryl grunted.

“I know what you meant.” Rick admitted “I’ve just been so scared of losing anyone else or of him hurting you, that I wasn’t willing to fight.” The sheriff slumped in his seat “I was weak…”

“Hey,” the archer interceded “no one could’ve done any better and you know that.”

The older man shrugged, suddenly feeling weary. 

“But you two…” Daryl started “you’re still… Okay, aren’t you?”

Rick sighed “I told her the truth about Judith.”

“What 'truth?'” Daryl asked innocently.

“That she’s actually Shane’s.” Rick carried on before the hunter could add anything “You knew it, I knew it. Hell, I think that everyone in the camp apart from Carl knew it.”

“But why…?” Daryl questioned.

“She asked why I wasn’t fighting” Rick explained, knowing what Daryl was asking “I had to explain, tell her that it wasn’t about being frightened, it was about protecting your family even though they aren’t your own blood” he looked pointedly at Daryl then “because family? That’s all we got out here, and we sure as hell protect our own.”

Daryl nodded in understanding, because he did, he really did. Merle was the only blood family that he ever truly loved, and even he had abandoned him. Rick was the only person in his whole life who hadn’t cast him aside, no matter what mistakes he had made. He had always stood by him, and he always would. Daryl knew that now.


End file.
